Good AM Modulation but...

[Chazman321]

I'm only getting about 20-30% modulation on SSB... My AM modulation will fling the needle into the passenger seat, but barely moves on sideband... I get good reports with my DX-949 even with only minimal modulation on SSB, but would like to know how I can get a little more juice out of it if I can. The obvious answer is to buy a power mic, but is there something that may need adjusted for it to work correctly? 20-30% just don't give me that warm fuzzy feeling... lol

-Chaz

[TheCBDoctor]

I'm only getting about 20-30% modulation on SSB... My AM modulation will fling the needle into the passenger seat, but barely moves on sideband... I get good reports with my DX-949 even with only minimal modulation on SSB, but would like to know how I can get a little more juice out of it if I can. The obvious answer is to buy a power mic, but is there something that may need adjusted for it to work correctly? 20-30% just don't give me that warm fuzzy feeling... lol

-Chaz

Hi Chazman321,

There is no percentage of modulation on sideband. There is no carrier to compare what a percentage is. I would put the radio on a peak reading meter using a 50 ohm dummy load. If the radio is putting out the legal limit of 12 watts peak, then it is fine. The radio is capable 24 watts peak power on sideband.

Respectfully,

[Chazman321]

Don't have a meter and don't have a dummy load...Epic fail... lol The meter is on my list though, just something I haven't gotten around to... Thanks for the explanation, I much appreciate it!

-Chaz

[721HACKSAW]

If the SSB operators you talk to like your audio don't worry about it. Clean and clear is what matters on SSB.

[420Snowman]

If the SSB operators you talk to like your audio don't worry about it. Clean and clear is what matters on SSB.

100 percent agree with this! And cb doctor is right in the money as usual!

Snowman
Sent from my Grim Reaper powered HTC.

[King Mudduck]

Remember to that when 98% of the cb techs tune a radio they tune it for only AM and completely forget about SSB. This would be my guess that who every did your radio needs to go back over it. When you tune a SSB/AM radio for use in both modes you have to tune for a balance of power on both SSB and AM or else you will end up with more power on AM than you have a SSB. Take my Galaxy 99V.I talk a bunch of SSB so i tuned it for SSb performance only. SSB power is 35 to 40 watts while AM is only about 20 to 25 watts. Really, if a person tuned an export radio correctly then you would always have more power on SSB than you would AM because that's the way the radios were designed to work and perform there best. It's the same with all of the SSB/AM radios i have from my 148's and Grants to my Galaxy and RCI radios.

[crazy_cooter]

I am guilty as charged! I never tweak on the ssb side when i tune a radio. Good points though

[King Mudduck]

Thats whay have a few radios set up just for SSB and others set up just for AM.